Theater chair back mounting construction



P 1952 I. R. BROMAGEM 2,

THEATER CHAIR BACK MOUNTING CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 25, 1947 4 Sheet s-Shee t l Sept. 16, 1 2 R. BROMAGEM THEATER CHAIR BACK uoum'mc cpusraucnou Filed Nov. 25. 1947 4 Shoots-Sheet 2 I. R. BROMAGEM THEATER CHAIR BACK MOUNTING CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 25, 1947 Sept. 16,1952

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 P 1952 R. BROMAGEM 2,610,669

THEATER CHAIR BACK MOUNTING CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 25, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Sept. 16, 1952 THEATER CHAIR BACK MOUNTING V GONSTRUCTION Irl 'R. .Bromagem, Union City, 'Ind., assignor to Union City Body Company, "Inc., UnlonCity,

Ind.,a corporation of Indiana I v 7 Application November 25.1w, steward-man --20 Claims. (01. 155-1781 The presentinvention relates to theater chairs and more particularly to the back constructions thereof.

Chairs of the general type to which the invention relates are extensively used in motion picture theaters and similar auditoriums and the .like where they are .arrangedside by sidein substantially parallel straight or curved rows. Each chair comprises a seat member mounted in or on a supporting member which is fixed in posi- .tion relative to theiloor and to adjacent supporting members arranged in the row. The seat member may or may .not be mounted ,pivotally cr be otherwisehinged .to the supporting member for foldingmovement between a horizontal operative position and a vertical inoperative position, but in any case .the supporting member includes .a pair of side standards and a back member or element which is secured .to and'between the side standards at about the rear edges thereof.

Most modern chairs are upholstered, i. e., the seat and back elements are provided with cushion .flllings covered by leather 'or an upholstery fabric. These surfaces are subject to wearing at a considerably greater rate than'the rest of the chair construction, which is made of more durable materials, such as metal and wood. Because chairs located in certain more desirable parts of any auditorium 'aremore frequently, occupied "than the chairs located elsewhere, in less desirable parts of the auditorium, the former chairs I are subjected to a more rapid rate of wear than the latter chairs and more frequently need replacement or removal for:repair.

It :is desirable to change from time to time the worn parts ofithe'more frequently used chairs and exchange them for the less worn jparts of other chairs in the auditorium, thus more or less equalizing the wear on all the chairs of the installation.

Because the seat members are commonly and easily made readily removable from the'fixed supporting member, it is a simple matter to switch 'o'rexchange the seat'members. 'Howeven'inthe best pfior art constructions of which I amraware the upholstered back elements 'ofthe fixed sup porting'structures are more or less permanently attached to the side standards, "which in turn aremore orle'ssiperma'nently secured tothe'fio'or. Consequently, theremoval of aback'elementfr'om one part of .an auditorium "to another has hereto- .fore required removal of the entire supporting structure, including thadurablefandigenerally unworn :side standards thereof, and has involved the difficult and time-consuming} operations of detaching the legs ofyytheiside standards .from

the .fioo'r, carrying the whole side standard with its attached back element from one location :to

another, and .reattaching it to the floor in the .newlocation. .Insome of the prior art constructions portions of the side standards have been made detachable from the fixed legs of the standardsfbut even in such cases removal of the'back members has required that the attached fside standard structure beremoved with them.

The principal object of thepresent invention is to eliminate the inconvenience and expense of .these operations by removing the need for them which, according to the principles of the invention, is accomplishedby mounting the back element for ready removability from'the sidestandards of the supporting structure. Thus the whole structure of the 'side standards, with 'or WlthOllt 'the seat member, may be left in permanently fixed position and the back element maybe quickly detached, removed and replaced by another back member,taken from new stock or from somerother pair of side standards in 'a' less used location in the same general installation.

A further object is to provide a construction Of'thls "type inwhich the back element canbe removed and attached by unskilled labor using nothing imore than common and simple tools. Another object is to provide an arrangement of the type described in which the mode of removing a back element is not obvious to an'un- 'informed'personyandm which the actuating device for e'fiecting the removal is concealed, and

in-which themovement of the parts required'for effecting separation of the back element from its mounting is normally blocked when the parts are all assembled in operative relation, so that no inquisitive or-mischievous occupant of a seat will normally be able to dismantle the construction. I h

A more specific object is to mount a chair back for removal'by a forwardly swinging movement which, since the mounted 'back slopes up to the rear, permits the back to 'bemanipulated for 'bothattachment and detachment by movement througha path' which'is entirely infront of the 'vertical'plane of its partwhich projects farthest tothe'rear whenthe'parts are all assembled'thus permitting the attachment and detachment of the backs of chairs which are set close up against a wall, such as the chairs of the rearmostrow of an auditorium. I

Further objects are to provide an arrangement of the class described in I simple, inexpensive, durable and foolproof form. 1

Other objects and advantages will beap arent tothoseiskilled in the {art from thepresent dis closure of a preferred embodiment of the invention which has been thoroughly tested in actual practice and found entirely satisfactory.

Generally speaking, the above stated objects and other incidental advantages are accomplished and obtained. by mounting the back member on the side standard members by a latching arrangement which is operable to latched and unlatched positions by actuating a control element positioned on one of the members in normally concealed position. I find it preferable to use interfltting detents as the latching means, embodied in the form of a tongued plate movable in relation to each side member to entenand be withdrawn from sockets in the back member.

I find it also convenient to use armrestswhich surmount the side standards and aremade 'difficultly removable therefrom to act as stops; for- 4 are preferably arranged in multiple in a row, with each of the side standards 3, except those at the extreme ends of the row, providing mount-. ing for a pair of seat assemblies, one on each side of each side standard.

The seat B in the illustrated embodiment is pivotally mounted for movement between a horizontal operative position and a vertical inoperative position by means which forms the subject matter of my separate copending application Serial No. [7 87 ,il 96, filed November 25, 1947, and which is best illustrated in Fig. 3. It is believed to be sufficient hereto explain simply that this pivotalmounting arrangement, which forms no part of the claimed subject matter of the present application, comprises providing on each side :standard' 3, beneath: the arm rest 8 which surblocking and preventing movement of the latching means to back-releasing position. It will be appreciated that within the broad principles of the invention the arrangement of the latching parts may be reversed, the actuating member may be located on the back member or on the side standards, and movement to unlatching position may be blocked by part other than the arm rest, or the blocking feature may even be omitted.

With the foregoing broad principles of the invention in mind, the particular embodiment which is shown in the accompanying drawings, and which is preferred as constituting the best manner in which I contemplate practicing the invention, will now be described.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a complete chair embodying the principles of the invention;

Fig.' 2 is a side elevational view of such a chair;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through one of the side standards and adjacent portions of the seat member along the line 33 of Fig. 2;

-Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through one of the side standards along the line l-l of Fig. 2; a

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken through .the back element and showing, principally in side elevation, one of the side standards;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of one of the side the side portions of the back element, showing in cross section the interfitted lug devices of the adjacent side standard.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention includes a supporting member I having' a back portion 2 rigidly held by and between side standards 3 provided with feet 4 which may or may not be connected by cross braces 5 and which are intended to be securely affixed tothe floor.

The supporting member mounts a seat assembly 6 comprising an upholstered top I-secured to a bottom pan 8 which is best made of sheet metal and which encloses the usual upholstery springs,

webbing, filling, etc.

Although shown in the drawing as a single, independent unit, in actual practice the chairs '25 and 24. plate are flanged and fitted behind the uprights mounts the inner frame l0, an inner trimming plate H, with an upstanding tongue [3, formed in a bulge l2 in the plate H, to act as a post for receiving the socket M which is carried by the seat pan 8. This socket member has a stout post 15 fixed securely to it and projecting horizontally through an elongated slot i5a a short distance into the interior of the seat pan, where it carries a distorted gear I6 which i meshed with an internal rack H fixed to the seat pan to ride on the gear as the seat'memberis pivoted, so as to cause the seat member to be elevated bodily as it is swung to upraised position and to be lowered bodily as it is swung to horizontal position. A plate [9 may be secured across the inner faces of the rack and gear and an uplift spring 20 may be mounted between the post I5 and a pin 2| instanding from the plate I9. The whole pivoting structure may be inwardly enclosed by a plate 22 having its upper edge downturned at 23 over the margins of the pan wall 8 and the trimming plate 19.

The present invention is concerned more particularly with the connection of the back element 2 to the side standards 3 by an arrangement which will now be described in detail in terms of its embodiment in the illustrated construction.

As has been explained, each supporting structure 1 comprises a pair of side standards 3 and an interposed back element 2. Each side standard includes a stout inner frame member [0 in the form of a substantial casting or the like, conveniently made of iron, in the form 01" two slightly curved upright members of generally T-shaped cross section. These are connected slightly below their midportion by an upwardly opening channel 24 which is welded to the two members, and they are further connected by an upper channel member 25 which has its top opening at the level of the upper edges of the members. The two channels and their relation to the rest of the side standard structure are best shown in Figs. 3 and 4, from which it will be appreciated that they make up a very rigid side standard frame.

The inner trimming plate II is provided along its top edge with a groove-like depression surmounted by an outwardly turned horizontal portion 26 having a downwardly directed flange 21 and at its lower edge with an inwardly turned horizontal portion having a downwardly turned vflange 28, and these two flanges are fitted respectively into the upper and lower channels The front and rear margins of the of the frame member ID, as shown in Figs. 6-8, so that the plate is slidable vertically into and out of position on the frame. r

vantages; to .unlatching position when the arm rest is mounted in. position on the side standards, thus 7 It prevents elevating the latch plate requiring removal of the arm rest preliminary to removal of the back element. It also provides the conveniently projecting portion 49 of the latch plate which needs only to be struck' up to elevate the plate to unlatching position. Thus, in case the parts become rusted or corroded after a long period of use and it is diiiicult to turn the cam 42 by means of a screw driver, the projecting portion 49 can be struck by a hammer and readily knocked loose.

It is convenient to make the extreme outer edges or the projections 4| with slight inward oiIsets, so that the outer edges normally engage each other, as is best shown in Fig. 9; This encloses each of the lugs 40 and gives the entire [assembly a thin edge for more readily penetrating the sockets 48. It is also convenient to strike dimples into the projections 4| to provide small circular protuberances 5| for fitting into'small circular holes 52 in the lugs 40 when the lugs are retracted up into the space between the projections. When the lugs are projected down from the space between the projections the holes 52 move from the protuberances 5| and thus the projections become expanded laterally, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 9 to make a tight fit in the sockets 48 formed in the back member.

It is also convenient to provide the two plates 16 and 31 with shoulders 53 along the rear edges, just inwardly of the projections 4|. This forms a seat 0! some width against which the inwardly "swinging back member comes abruptly to rest when being mounted. I

It is believed that the principal structural and functional features, as well as the mode of operation and the main advantages, of the invention will be well understood from the foregoing explanation. Not all of the features or elements need be included or used in the particular combinations shown, and many of the parts and relationships may be modified from the specific form employed in' the illustrated embodiment. For example, I have stated that the actuating or control element for unlatching the back, which of course is the cam 42, is preferably so located that it is normally concealed and thus made less susceptible to unauthorized tampering'. The illustrated embodiment of the invention is a chair of the automatic u lift type, in which the seat member is invertical position at all times except when occupied. When the seat member is in vertical position it hides the cam, but the cam is readily exposed for access and rotation by simply lowering the seat mem ber. Thus one of the minor objects of the invention is attained without reouiring the seat member to be removed preparatory to removing the back. However, if greater protection for the cam is desired, the cam may be positioned lower down on the side standard, so as to be concealed by the seat member when in either of its two terminal positions, thus, however, making it necessary to remove the seat member before the back can be removed or installed.

While the materials of which the several parts are made form no part 01' the invention, broadly considered, it is convenient and desirable to use metal to make substantially all of the structure, except the arm rests and the upholstery, in accordance with the best modern practice, employing sheet metal stampings wherever possible.

While the primary object 01' the invention is :to make the backs in an installation readily rea that either of the parts 39 or 42 will ever require replacement.

The parts which have been specified as preferably welded to each other are ones that are not expected to require replacement at any time. For example, the assembly of the plates 36 and 31 and the interposed filler plate 38 is conveniently made by spotwelding the three plates together, and the assembly may be permanently mounted on the plate H by spotwelding the plate 31 to the plate II. This welding may be direct and immediate, or a filler plate 54 may be interposed, as shown in Figs. 6-8, to separate and space the assembly somewhat from the plate II. This is desirable to give an oppropriate camber to the two assemblies of a given chair so that their projections 4| will be accurately spaced horizontally apart by the exact distance between the two lines of sockets 43 of a back member. Any slight inaccuracy in this spacing of the projections can be corrected by bending the free rear edges of the assemblies toward or away from the plate I and, even more important, these edges can be bent to compen sate for the slightly angular, instead of accurately parallel, setting of the side standards oi chairs arranged in a curved row.

I claim:

1. A theater chair comprising a fixed supporting member, a back member, and means separably connecting the members together comprising a, socket formed in one of the members, a lug device projecting from the other member insertible into and expansible in the socket, and an actuating element connected to the lug device for expanding it.

2. A theater chair comprising a fixed supporting member, a back member, and means for separably connecting the members together comprising a socket formed in the back member. a lug device projecting from the supporting member insertible into and expansible in the socket, and an actuating element connected to the lug device for expanding it.

3. A theater chair comprising a fixed supporting member, a back member, and means for separably connecting the members together comprising a substantially vertical line of separate sockets formed in the front margin of each side of the back member, a lug device projecting from the supporting member and insertible into and expansible in each of the sockets, and an actuating element connected to the lug device for expanding it.

4. A theater chair comprising a fixed supporting member, a back member, and means for the liig and projected are extant-eu eka thereby side margin oi the backmember, a lug device I projecting-f rom'-thesupporting-member and inserti-bleinto and expansible in eacli of the f socketsy a'nd' an actuating element conneeted' to 1 the 111g dev-ic'e for expanding itL- 6 A theater chair comprising a fi'x ed sup-=- portihg memben, aback-member and means-Tor separably connecting themern ogeth'er com prisin'g a' -vertical lineorsepar'a sockets formed in" the" front "margin of each s-ideedge of the back memben a plat'e having ertical line of separateprojections extending irrifixed relation from 'th'e -siippor'ti-ng' mem-ber 1 at the r'earoif 'ach side thereof, a lug juxtaposed to each ro seams of said p'lateand movable-'witl't-relation thereto so that one pesition or each lug= the lug? andadjacent projection 1 areinsertible together" rate the socket-"and in anotherpcsition of the lugand'- adjacentprojection -a're expanded and thereby-'held with-in the socket, and -an actuating'f element-'- connecte'd'te the lug for -nioving'*-it se lecti-vely to said'twO pOsiti'onsi ingmember," abackmember, and means for separabl'yconnecting the members together com-- prising a lurant ofisoekets formed member,- a corresponding pluralityof projectio s" extending fron'rthe backpfthe fi x'ed' -supporting "the back;

member; and movabl'eplat'e? means having anonresponding" plurality of lugs juxtaposed to the proj ections' and movame: withreIationtherto so that in ene positibn of the platemeansthe lugs and projections are insertible -together"intothe sockets-andin another position of the plate means the lugs are displaced from the projections and thereby held within thesockets;

8; A theater chair comprisinga fixed-support ing member, a back member,:and means' for-' separably connectingthe members together comprising a plurality of'sockets formed in the back member; a corresponding plurality of projections extending from the back otth'e fixed supporting member; a movable plate-- rriea'ns having c responding plurality-of lugs juxtaposed to atheiprojectionsahd movable with relation "theretoso that in one position of the plate means the lugs and projections are insertible together into the sockets and in another position of the plate means the lugs are displaced from the projections and thereby held within the sockets, and means for moving the plate means between its two positions comprising a cam mounted in the fixed supporting member and rotatable in an opening formed in the plate means.

9. In a theater chair having a side standard, an arm rest detachably mounted thereon, and a back member, means for separably connecting the back member to the side standard comprising a socket formed in the back member, a projection extending from the side standard, a plate movable on the side standard and having a lug juxtaposed to the projection so that in one position of the plate the lug and projection are insertible together into the socket and in another position of the plate the lug is displaced from the projection and thereby held within the socket, and a portion of the plate being engageable with the mg: is' displaced from the" pro ectin ance- 'pris'ing asocket rormed m mebaek-membena artist-a backmember;

on each side standard insrtible' new a so 10. v thearm -rest teprvent mWefiieiitjof the 'lii' frb'nfi expanded posmem I I03 A theater chair comprising a nxeu suppert in'g' member having. a movable portion and eluding a side standard, a back member; a dmeans for separably connecting" the back member to the side standard comprising a socket rormee' the back member, a' proj'ectioii' ex tending' from th'e' side standard,- a plate mounted on" the side standard for movement relativelythereto arid having a -lug-juxtaposed to the projection so' 'thatone-position of the plaite the' lug an'd'projectioit a're ihs'ertible together 'i' the socket J and m another positionof the platethereby held within-the socket, and 1 a pot-tic" of the plate being engageable with th movabl' portion 1 of the fixed" silpporting' member when the plateis in the first named nsertion; so that said portibri" must be moved before the-plate carsbe moved: to the second-named osition.

1-1 A theater chair comprising a fixed s" portin'" m'ember, a back meinber, ammea' sepa'r-ably conneetin'g' th 'members tegther com expansible and contractile: element car i d b the supporting member insertiblintdthe socke Whenimcontra'cted conditiori andengagedin the socket so asto be non-removable therefr m Whfi conneeteato the'first named eiem'eat ror expand ing 'arid ontractmgit.

'" hair empn'smg ember includi g a pair or connecting -the meinber chi-prising a pain of -'-'-sockets fr'nid-Omthiton-t face" r the back 'rn'ein-ber atthe opposite side mar of a-i contractile-"and expansible elem" warned when in contracted condition and engaged int socketso-as-tob'e nen'-removab1e'therefro' inex'pan'dedcondition; and-an actuating elrne' conne'cted to the first named element fer-expat ing andcontracti-nga I s s A' tl i'eatejr chair empn' fig? a1 fixed sii orj ng member-incmdmg a pair o'f" side 'staiid ard's a'rid a-seatfmounted thereon forrnoiiem betweena horizontal operative position" an vertical-inoperative position: a -baeirniemberya' meansfior sparably' onne ting thegmembers ge'ther comprising 'aisocket formed "on the ba member; I a contractile: and expansi'ble" element carried by a side" standard insertible" into the socket when in contracted condition and engaged in the socket so as to be non-removable therefrom when in expanded condition, and means for contracting and expanding the element mounted on a side standard and inaccessible for operation when the seat is in one of its named positions.

14. A theater chair comprising a fixed supporting member, a back member, and means for separably connecting the members together comprising a socket formed in the back member, a. projection extending from the back of the fixed supporting member, and a plate movably con nected to the fixed supporting member and having a lug juxtaposed to the projection and movable with relation thereto so that in one position of the plate the lug and projection are insertible together into the socket and in another position of the plate th lug is displaced from the projection and thereby held within the socket, a portion of the plate projecting from the fixed sup- 11 porting member when the lug is expanded from the projection so that said projection may be struck a blow by a hammer or the like to assist in moving the plate and the lug to the first named position.

15. In a theater chair having a side standard and a. back, means for separably connecting the back to the side standard comprising a socket formed in the back, an expansible and contractile element carried by the side standard and insertible into the socket, and means carried by th side standard movable in one direction to expand the element both vertically and horizontally to make tight fit in the socket and movable oppositely to contract the element both vertically and horizontally to free it from the socket for removal therefrom.

16. In a theater chair having a side standard and a back, means for separably connecting the back to the side standard comprising a socket formed in the back. a pair of fixed plates extending from the rear of the side standard and having matching spaced parallel projections extending therefrom for insertion into said socket, a plate movably connected to the side standard and having a lug extending between said projections and movable with the plate to extend from the projections and expand the projections laterally. thereby holding the projections in the socket and securing the back to the side standard.

17. In a theater chair having a fixed supporting structure including a pair of side standards having upwardly and rearwardly sloping rear edges, a back having its side margins normally engaged with the rear edges of the side standards so that 35 the back is inclined upwardly and rearwardly, and means normally latching the back to said edges movable to unlatching position for release or the back so that the back is removable by a rearward swinging movement followed by a lifting movement.

18. In a theater chair having a fixed supporting structure including a pair of side standards having upwardly and rearwardly sloping rear edges, a back having its side margins normally engaged with the rear edges of the side standards so that the back is inclined upwardly and rearwardly. means normally latching the back to said edges comprising a plurality of latch elements arranged along the rear edge of each side standard and insertible into holes in the back, and means for unlatching said elements to release the back so that the back is removable by swinging its top edge forward to free all except the topmost elements 12 from the corresponding holes in the back, followed by lifting of the back to separate it from the topmost elements.

19. A theater chair comprising a fixed supporting member including a pair of side standards, a separable back member, and means for connecting the back member to the side standards comprising an upwardly projecting lug device extending from the upper portion of the rear edge of each side standard, a socket formed in each side edge of the back member for receiving one of said lug devices so that the back member may be pivotally swung about said devices into engagement with the side standards, and other lug devices and sockets provided on the side standards and back member below the first named lug devices and sockets adapted to become engaged with each other when the back member is swung into engagement with the side standards. and means connected to the last named lug devices for selectively expanding and contracting them within the sockets.

20. A theater chair comprising a fixed supporting member including a pair 0! side standards, a separable back member, and means for connecting the back member to the side standards comprising an upwardly projecting lug device extending from the upper portion of the rear edge of each side standard, a socket formed in each side edge of the back member for receiving one of said lug devices so that the back member may be pivotally swung about said devices into engagement with the side standards, other lug devices and sockets provided on the side standards and back member below the first named devices and sockets adapted to become engaged with each other when the back member is swung into engagement with the side standards, and means connected to said lug devices for expanding at least some of them in said sockets to maintain the back member engaged with the side standards.

IRL R. BROMAGEM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,873,603 Kuehn Aug. 23, 1932 2,242,540 Nordmark May 20, 1941 2,252,970 Gedris Aug. 19, 1941 2,415,889 Jufe Feb. 18, 1947 

